


Setting to Rights

by scy



Category: Josh (2000)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-01
Updated: 2010-01-01
Packaged: 2017-10-05 14:11:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scy/pseuds/scy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mistakes, old and new are recognized</p>
            </blockquote>





	Setting to Rights

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to svgurl, monimala and seperis for listening to me discuss the movie and this story and instead of laughing too hard, offering suggestions.

Rahul came back to Vasco a little over two years after he and Shirley had left. He had made promises to his mother as well as members of the disbanded Bichhu gang that as soon as he was settled in Bombay, he would return for a visit, but one month turned into two, and then he couldn't justify leaving his wife or the business they were building. He wrote long letters and answered every reply his mother sent back, but he still felt guilty whenever he saw them in the mail box. There were other things going on, though, and he let life distract him from the past.

Shirley loved Bombay and right away, got caught up in the sights and people. Rahul told her if they weren't married and running a restaurant, he would never see her. She laughed, and stacked the letters in the center of the table one evening after he had burned two dishes and told him to write his mother.

The first time he was in Vasco after college, Rahul thought it was a tiny dirty town, and that the best thing for his family was to leave. Then he met Shirley, and it was as if the world had grown larger, and even Vasco seemed brighter.

The limits had been set by others, the gangs and their borders, things which Rahul had scoffed at and had crossed without thinking twice.

"Weren't you frightened?" Shirley asked.

Rahul shrugged. "I wasn't one of the Bichhus. I hadn't ever met them, or fought with anyone, so I didn't think there was a reason for fear." He touched her wrist lightly and smiled. "And once I saw you, no fence or Eagle would have kept me away."

She smiled. "Crazy man."

Rahul wasn't really so flippant. The death of Prakash and the sorrow of losing his brother could have driven him away from Vasco for good without a thought of trying to see whether Shirley would come with him if Max hadn't done the one thing Rahul never expected.

"When you guys came to the station, I thought Max was coming to try and beat me up."

"What do you mean, try? When Max fights, he doesn't lose." In spite of how civilized she had become, Shirley hadn't completely let go of the wild streak she shared with her sibling, and she wasn't shy about reminding Rahul of it.

"He looked so serious," Rahul said.

"I remember, he wouldn't tell me why we had to find you, but he said it was important that he couldn't let you leave without talking to you first."

"He did the right thing at last."

Shirley frowned. "Max made mistakes, but he's done a lot of good for me and our friends."

Max was one person Shirley and Rahul disagreed on, and if he said one too many things she didn't care for, Rahul was learning life got very tense. So, Rahul didn't say that he thought Max and his friends wouldn't know how to do the right thing, except by mistake, but he was still surprised that Max had given his consent for Shirley's marriage. Being that Max was so protective of his sister Rahul had assumed Max wouldn't even pause to consider her wishes, but it turned out that Max included Shirley's happiness in his plans.

"I haven't seen much of the good in him," Rahul said.

Shirley looked into the distance. "It's there, but he's had to keep it hidden. Growing up in Vasco wasn't easy, you know that, and Max did what he had to so I got a chance at better things. He sent me to school, and kept me safe. Even when there was barely enough food for both of us, I never went hungry." She turned back to Rahul. "He may not have given me the childhood you think I should have had, but I wouldn't change any of it, not if it meant that I didn't have Max for an older brother."

"I'm sorry, Shirley, I don't want to you to be upset with me."

"Everyone has always thought the worst of Max, I won't have you be the same."

"I will try to see him differently," Rahul said. "Okay?"

Shirley touched his cheek. "It's not easy, but all I ask is for you to give him a chance."

Rahul nodded.

"I worry about him on his own," Shirley said.

"He's a grown man."

"We've never lived apart," Shirley said and looked upset.

Having lived on his own in Bombay, Rahul felt qualified to reassure her. "Max has all of his gang to take care of him, I'm sure he's stayed busy. By now they've probably found work and are just fine."

Shirley smiled as if Rahul was being silly. "Max was the leader of the Eagles. After this long, he'll have won over the Bichhus and is running Vasco."

Having witnessed what two relatively disorganized gangs could get up to, the idea of a single group united by someone like Max was a frightening idea. The companies Prakash had worked for were still trying to grab up for land, and as much as he had loved his brother, Rahul knew that Prakash failed to think his actions through. If Max had learned from his mistakes, he might have become a better man, or just found it better to be clever instead of bold.

"Have you heard from Max?"

"Not for a couple weeks, and he only ever says that he's well. He doesn't like to worry me about his business."

"Especially now that you're a married woman."

"Your wife," Shirley said with a smile, and Rahul kissed her.

The night ended happily, but Rahul began a letter to his mother the following morning. He didn't actually ask if there were more problems with the Eagles, but he knew she would give him all the news. When he found the battered envelope on the table a week later, Rahul sat down to read it immediately.

His mother began with news of the neighborhood. Dev and Pepsi, two of Prakash's gang had stayed in the neighborhood, Chandu and Ladhu had gotten married, and there was an offhand comment about the large companies trying to seize other properties, including his mother's, but she said that nothing had come of it, and Rahul reread the letter for hints of what she was trying to avoid telling him.

"Do you know anything about this?" Rahul asked Shirley, showing it to her.

"Yeah, Max said that Bihari Real Estate was out of business."

"Did he say what happened?" Rahul asked.

Shirley picked up the dishes, and paused. "No, he just said that Bihari found he wasn't welcome in Vasco anymore and that he went back home. Why do you ask?"

"It's just that Maa said her house was almost taken away from her, but then she didn't bring it up again."

"Well, then there must not be a problem."

"Or she doesn't want to tell me," Rahul said. He gripped the letter tightly and read a fifth time, unable to stop. "There's something going on that she can't say, I know it."

"You've been away for a couple of years, maybe she just wants to see you," Shirley said.

"This is something different, and I can't go back right now, we're too busy."

Shirley tapped Rahul on the nose. "Never that busy. Go and see your mother, you won't be able to cook without ruining the food until you know she is well."

"That's not true," Rahul said.

Shirley glanced at the dish she was holding. "Is this creme brule, then, or flambe?"

Rahul winced. "I don't remember what it was supposed to be."

"You have time for your family, so go and see her."

"If you say so."

Shirley went to the sink and went on, "I've packed your bags already, you can leave in the morning."

"Sometimes, I think you're the one I should worry the most about," Rahul said, and Shirley grinned, but didn't deny it.

Vasco was much as when he'd left and as he stepped off the bus, Rahul felt like he was a foreigner all over again.

Dev, Pepsi, and Chottu met him at the station and brought him to his mother's house, filling the time with stories and questions about what he had been doing, but Rahul was preoccupied with thoughts of his mother.

As the truck screeched to a halt in front of the house, his mother ran down the stairs to meet him, and Rahul caught her in his arms with delight. "You look very well."

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked.

Rahul laughed off his concern and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm surprised, you look even younger than the last time I saw you."

"Pagal," his mother said and led him inside.

Dev and Pepsi followed with Rahul's bags and went about moving chairs and the table onto the balcony while his mother brought food out.

"So everything is going well?" Rahul asked.

"Yes, son, things are the same as ever."

"No trouble from the Eagles?"

She shook her head. "They never bother me." With a gasp, she slapped Dev's hand as he reached for a third helping and he sat back, chastened with his head bowed. As his mother packed the remaining food into a container, Rahul frowned.

"The Bichhus aren't fighting with the Eagles either?" There had been a small truce at the wedding, but he hadn't counted on it holding for long.

"There aren't any Bichhus anymore," Pepsi said. "Not without Prakash."

"You all found better ways to spend your time?" Rahul asked.

Pepsi glanced at Dev and then at Rahul's mother. "That's right."

"What are you doing instead?"

"Looking after your mother." Dev bowed in her direction.

"Why?"

"You were gone and someone had to," Pepsi said and hit Dev in the shoulder.

"You two decided this on your own?"

"We should talk of something more interesting," Rahul's mother said. "How is your restaurant doing? Is Shirley well?"

Rahul let his mother change the subject, but he was sure that the three of them were hiding something. His mother had never needed help from the Bichhus, they hadn't hung around the house, and for them to think that they had to stay close, Rahul knew there had to be a good reason and she was in danger. There was only one person that came to mind, and Rahul was determined find out what was going on.

That night, after his mother had said goodnight, Rahul saw Dev go to the back door with the food from earlier. When Rahul craned his neck over the balcony to see who he was giving it to, there was just enough light to make out the face, and his fears were realized when he saw Michael, the second in command of the Eagles. Container in hand, Michael walked away from the house and into Eagle territory.

Furious, Rahul hurried after him, keeping out of sight, and not giving in to the urge to jump Michael right away. He wanted answers and he had never been afraid of confronting someone to get them to see the truth.

He found Max's house by memory and watched Michael go in, and waited a few minutes, making up his mind about how to proceed. He couldn't see inside from the street, so he went up to the door and knocked.

Michael answered and took in Rahul's presence with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to get my mother's dish back." Rahul folded his arms over his chest. "Unless you know some other reason that I should be here."

"Who's there, Michael?" Max called from inside the house.

"It's Prakash's brother."

"Rahul Sharma."

"Let him in," Max said, and Rahul stepped past Michael, ignoring the unfriendly look he got for his daring. He found Max in the kitchen, eating what was left of the dinner Rahul had enjoyed earlier. "Hey, Rahul."

"Max." Rahul watched him for a second, and Max held out the bowl.

"Did you want some?"

"No, I had my fill earlier. I want to know why you're sharing the meals my mother cooks."

"She makes enough to spare," Max said.

"For you?"

Max slid back on the stool and eyed Rahul curiously. "Why not?"

"Because she doesn't really want to. She has enough to do without feeding hoodlums."

"Is that what you think I am?"

"No, you're not like all the others." Rahul stepped forward. "You're worse, because you're preying on a helpless widow. And what do you get out of it? Money? She barely has enough to live on, and you've got to have made enough with the deals you do under the table."

"Salaa," Michael said, and Rahul saw him draw a knife.

Max held out a hand. "No, Michael, let him say what he came to." He stared at Rahul. "What is it you want?"

"For you to leave my mother alone. She's suffered enough, why hurt her more?" Rahul braced his arms on the counter and leaned forward. "Every time you ask for what little she has left she bleeds. I know that you haven't had a lot in your life, but why take it from her?"

Ducking his head, Max looked away. The dish came spinning across the counter toward Rahul and he picked it up. "Take that."

"I'll tell her you won't be needing any more meals." He nodded at Max and raised his eyebrows at Michael, inviting him to take a chance, which he didn't, and headed back home.

Over the next several days, Rahul watched his mother prepared meals and set aside a portion to be left for Max. He checked in the morning, and they were still there. On the third day, his mother picked up the dish, sighed, and brought it back inside.

"Is something wrong, Maa?" Rahul asked.

"I can't understand it," she said.

"What?"

"I've put this out two nights in a row, and it's still here in the morning."

"Don't worry, I've settled that."

She turned. "Settled?"

"Yes," Rahul grabbed a slice of pineapple. "I went and talked to Max."

"What did you say?" his mother asked.

"I told you, I took care of it."

"Who said there was anything to take care of?"

"Maa, what are you talking about?"

"Did I say that I minded cooking for him?"

Rahul was dumbfounded. "He isn't making you cook his meals?"

"Nobody, not even my son can force me to do something I don't want to, why should he be any different?"

"Max isn't like the rest of us," Rahul said. "He doesn't like it when people don't do what he wants."

"You think he's bothering me for food?" His mother put her hands on her hips. "What put such a foolish idea in your head?"

"He's a Goan boy, Maa."

"So was Prakash."

That set Rahul back momentarily, and then he retorted, "I knew Prakash and he cared about his family and wanted us to be happy. All Max has ever cared about is hurting people who don't go along with what he wants and causing trouble."

"No, he's changed, Rahul, you saw that before you went to Bombay."

"All he did was apologize, and I'm still amazed he knew how to do that much."

"You make him sound like a wild animal."

"Not only wild, but dangerous too. You can't trust him, Maa. First he's asking for a meal, and then what will it be next? Your rent money so that you aren't harassed by the landlord?" Rahul asked.

"Max wouldn't do that."

Rahul shook his head. "See, that's why you can't trust him. You look at him and see a boy, I see a criminal who is going to take advantage of you if he can."

His mother slammed a spoon down on the table between his hands. "Rahul Sharma, that is enough. You shouldn't talk about people without having a reason to. What has been going on with Max is my business, and you will stop making accusations without cause."

Rahul reached out to take her hand, but she pulled away. "Maa, please, listen to me."

"I have, son, and I am sorry that a child of mine does not know how to deal with people who live differently than you." She turned away. "Now get out of my kitchen, I have to clean up."

Rahul opened his mouth, but knew that she wouldn't want to hear another word from him until she was calm, and maybe not even then, so he went to his room and laid down. He was awake late into the night, trying to determine what his next move should be. Whatever was going on with his mother wasn't going to be shared by her, not unless Rahul got a better idea of what was happening.

After being treated to a polite but cold silence in the morning, Rahul knew that he had to do something fast, or he would be returning to Bombay before he was satisfied that his mother wasn't in trouble. Following breakfast, Rahul cornered Dev and Pepsi as they were lounging on the steps outside with Chottu and set about interrogating them about recent events.

"You said that you've been helping my mother out?"

"Yes, yes," Dev said.

"How?" Rahul asked.

"We do things around the house," Pepsi said.

"The stairs had to be replaced last month," Dev said.

"They look very nice," Rahul said and Dev and Pepsi smiled proudly. "But that's not what I'm asking. The Eagles aren't giving you trouble anymore, why is that?"

"They don't need to bother the Bichhu gang, so there's no reason to," Chottu said.

When he'd left, Rahul found Dev and Pepsi to be the simplest members of the Bichhus. They were dedicated and loyal, but not quite hardened the way the others were. Looking at their faces as he pressed them for answers, Rahul saw a change.

"I won't ask again, talk sense."

"Mrs. Sharma told us not to tell you," Pepsi said, backing away, but when Chottu put a hand on Dev's shoulder, he stood taller and faced Rahul.

"We're doing our job, and until she sends us away, we won't leave. And then we'll still watch out for her."

"None of you could have come up with this insane idea on your own, so who put you up to this?"

"Nobody," Dev said.

"Are you working for Max now?" Rahul asked. "What has he got you doing?"

"Nothing," Chottu said.

"Don't lie to me," Rahul said. "This is just the thing he would do, so tell me what he told you."

"Only to watch out for your mother and help her if she needs it," Pepsi said.

"Why would he send you two?"

"There's only one gang now," Chottu said. 'The Eagles. If you want to get anything done in Vasco, or need something, you go to Max."

"So you three joined his gang." Rahul looked at them in disgust. "I thought that after Prakash was killed, you guys would have found some other way to get by."

"What else is there in Vasco?" Dev asked.

"At least with Max, we know where we stand and our families are safe," Chottu said.

"But why would my mother need protection?"

"Bihari was trying to grab up more property, and there was money owed," Chottu said.

"She would have lost the house and been on the street," Dev said.

"Why didn't she write to me? I could have sent her money," Rahul said.

"You said that you were going to make a new life in Bombay and she didn't want to make it harder for you," Dev said.

"We were already working for Max, and when he found out what was going on, he promised to take care of it, and then Bihari almost got arrested by the Inspector."

"What for?"

"Forgery, assault, there were a lot of charges, and he had to leave town in the middle of the night," Dev said, grinning. "After that, there wasn't any more trouble, and nobody has lost their house."

"Max did that?"

"Yeah," Chottu said. He scratched at the side of the house, rubbing the dust off onto his pants. "He's made sure your mother is alright, Rahul."

"What does he get out of it?" Rahul asked.

"Get?" Pepsi asked.

"Yes, I can't imagine that he's doing it because he's just that good of a person."

"Why not?"

Rahul waved his hands in frustration, wondering if he was the only person left in Vasco. "He's Max Diaz, or Vasco, or whatever he's calling himself, and he doesn't do things for other people without getting something back for himself."

"She's his mother in law," Dev said and Rahul turned sharply.

"Like that will mean anything to him?"

Dev frowned at Rahul. "It does."

Chottu spoke up hesitantly. "Is this about Prakash?"

"Max killed my brother, Chottu, I haven't forgotten what he's capable of."

"You told the judge it was an accident," Pepsi said.

"So, he couldn't have done it on purpose?" Rahul asked.

"You don't know Max."

"No, I never got the chance to."

"Maybe it's time you did," Chottu said, and motioned for Dev and Pepsi to follow him.

When he came to Vasco for the first time, Rahul had made a point of getting a sense of Vasco as a whole, not just those parts that the Bichhus claimed, and after considering Chottu's advice, he set out to do it again. The shops were much the same, and nobody had reopened the Treat House. It still stood vacant and boarded up and Rahul stopped at the entrance and surveyed what remained of a ruined dream. He would have stayed in Vasco until both Shirley and his mother agreed to leave with him, but nothing had turned out the way he had hoped. Rahul moved on and waved at D'mello who stared, but lifted his hand in return.

"Are you well, sir?" Rahul asked.

"Yes, and you?"

"I'm fine."

"Come back home?" D'mello asked.

"No, I'm only here to see my mother."

"Very good, she's been doing well."

"Is that so?"

"Oh yes." D'mello nodded vigorously.

"I heard that Max has been taking care of her."

"He's a good boy."

"Max?"

"Always helps when he's needed, without him, most of us would have had to leave Vasco." D'mello sensed that Rahul was interested and continued. "He chased Bihari out of town, and even got Chaudhary to leave us alone."

"Chottu said that Bihari was almost arrested."

"That was Max's doing. He gave Bihari a choice between jail or what he would do to him and Bihari ran instead."

"And Chaudhary?"

"He was delivered to the police station tied and gagged with his own fake papers." D'mello smiled.

"All thanks to Max," Rahul guessed.

"Of course, he's pretty much running Vasco now, and even the police don't give him a hard time anymore."

"But if he's breaking the law, can't they arrest him?"

"It's not so easy to prove these days. He doesn't play games like he used to."

"How does he get by then?" Rahul asked.

"He's landlord of Vasco, among other things."

"Landlord?"

"A fair one. Rents haven't gone up since he got rid of Bihari," D'mello nodded. "It's much better this way."

"Aren't people scared of him?"

"No reason to be, unless you go against him." D'mello shrugged. "No one is that stupid, eh?" He waved as he went on his way and Rahul was left with answers and even more questions. He ended up on the steps of the church and sat there for a good half hour.

Several of the nuns had walked past him and when Father Jacob came down the stairs, Rahul only smiled at him. "Hello, Father."

"How are you, Rahul?"

"Confused," Rahul said.

"Why is that?" Father Jacob asked.

"Father, what's going on in Vasco?"

"In Vasco?"

"Everyone tells me two things. Max is in charge of the Eagles gang and has taken over, and everyone is fine with that. I don't know which is true or what frightens me the most. Has he done something so terrible that they're all afraid to speak up?"

"There is another possibility," Father Jacob said.

"No, I saw what happened to Prakash when he was running around with a few hoodlums, I can't see that it would be any different for Max. And if he's got even more people answering to him, I worry for this town."

"Rahul, you've been gone for some time. Does Vasco seem to be suffering to your eyes? When you walk its streets, what do you see?"

"People going about their lives," Rahul said.

"Do any of them seem afraid?"

"No, but they could be hiding it."

Father Jacob shook his head and rested a hand on Rahul's shoulder. "I don't think you truly believe that, and it's that which is your real fear."

"They don't mind what Max is doing," Rahul said, amazed and still struggling to believe it.

"Most do not," Father Jacob said.

"How can that be?"

"They know him, Rahul, and perhaps they see something that you haven't been able to." He patted Rahul on the back and ascended the steps and went inside the church without a backwards glance.

Rahul headed through the narrow streets to Max's house and rapped on the door. Nobody answered, but it was open, so he let himself in.

"Hello? Max, are you there?"

As he moved further into the house, Rahul noticed again how relatively well kept it was. Everything was aged, but it was in good condition, and the place had the feeling of being lived in. It was quiet, though, which didn't seem right, and Rahul kept walking, into the living room until he heard water running beyond the doorway. He waited, not wanting to actually give Max a good reason to punch him, and stood with his hands in his pockets while the faucet was shut off and there were sounds of someone moving around.

Max walked into view, wearing jeans, barefoot and shirtless, drying his hair carelessly. When he saw Rahul, he raised an eyebrow and smiled tightly. "Come to lecture me again? I told Michael to stay away from your mother's house, and I never asked for anything from her." He twisted the towel around and flicked it in Rahul's direction. "Why are you here?"

Rahul wiped away the water droplets that hit him in the face and tried not to snap back. "I know that you told Dev, Pepsi and Chottu to hang around the neighborhood."

Max shrugged. "They live close by, it wasn't out of their way."

"Why should they have to? My mother never did anything to anyone, she never needed protection, until the Bichhus and the Eagles started fighting."

"You think that everyone respects mothers and daughters?" Max asked. "It doesn't matter who they are, anyone can get hurt."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah." Max stalked around Rahul, looking him up and down. "You like Bombay?"

"Yes, very much." Rahul refused to turn and see what Max was doing, wanting to be the one that was reasonable.

"Then why don't you go back there? You have a wife and a restaurant to handle." Max glanced over his shoulder. Leave us be." He dismissed Rahul as if that was the end of the discussion and turned away, and headed into the kitchen.

Certain his eyes were fooling him, Rahul followed, and stared at Max's back, realizing that those weren't shadows on Max's back, but scars. There weren't any on his shoulders, which was why Rahul had never noticed them before, but without a shirt on, Rahul couldn't help but follow the tracks they cut into his skin. Faint lines and curved marks intersected on Max's lower back, all unmistakable and shocking.

"What happened?" Rahul asked.

"When?" Max asked. "You went poking around and found out about my family, what do you think you're missing?"

"Your back," Rahul said.

"It's nothing," Max said and grabbed a slice of melon out of a bowl. He took a bite and frowned at Rahul. "What?"

"Really, what happened to you?"

Max grabbed a shirt off a stool and pulled it over his head. "There, all gone, feel better?"

"No," Rahul said. He'd been sure of himself when he came back to Vasco and thought he knew everything about the twins. This was just another instance where he was being proved wrong and he was thrown yet again.

"Is something bothering you?"

"Yes," Rahul said, and realized that he wouldn't get the truth from Max, not when he hadn't wanted it before.

"Could be the company," Max said. "You'd better get going, when your mother worries she cooks too much for anyone to handle."

That was true, but Rahul didn't know how Max was privy to his mother's habits.

"Yes she does." Although he knew it wasn't likely Max would answer, Rahul posed the question. "Is that why she's been cooking for you? She's worried?"

"I have no idea." Max picked up another piece of fruit and looked it over. "I don't know what mothers do." He said it absently, but Rahul felt the words as if they had been shouted.

"I was only curious."

"I hear things," Max said.

"I guess you would." Rahul clasped his hands behind his back and fixed his eyes on Max's face, but was unable to forget what he'd seen.

Max waved a hand at Rahul. "Was there more?"

Rahul frowned. "More?"

"That you wanted to say," Max prompted.

"No, I was out walking and stopped at the church and then I ended up here."

"You saw Father Jacob?"

"He was telling me about you." He watched Max, trying to interpret his reactions, with little success.

Max rolled his eyes. "Priests talk a lot."

"You've known him a long time," Rahul said.

"Since I was little," Max said.

"Did he help raise you?"

"He tried. We lived in the church until Mother died."

"How old were you?" Rahul asked.

"I don't remember."

"Then you left?"

"No reason to stay," Max said. "Are you a reporter and a chef now?"

"I was wondering."

"Ask me about things that matter, the rest of that's in the past, no use thinking about it."

"Not even when it gets you an inheritance?" Rahul asked.

Max spun around. "That land should have been Mother's, but she's dead. Vasco killed her, only it took her years to die. She was too good for him and paid for it."

"Is that what love is to you?" Rahul asked.

"Mostly."

"And Shirley?"

"You told me you loved her," Max said.

Rahul breathed deeply and tried not to let Max make him angry. "I do, I'm asking you."

"What I feel for her is none of your concern. I'm not a part of her life anymore, so don't worry what I think," Max said.

"Shirley is your sister, distance won't change that, it just makes it harder to stay in touch," Rahul said.

Max showed his teeth. "That honor goes to someone else."

When Rahul bristled, Max shrugged it off. "Enough, you've gotten your fill, take your questions somewhere else."

Rahul made a bow and left, relieved that there hadn't been an actual fight, but neither had he done any good. At this rate he was going to return to Bombay with little chance of getting to know Max, even when he was beginning to think he might have been wrong not to in the first place. This had seemed like a relatively small problem that he could solve and forget when he went back to Bombay but not anymore. There was only one person Rahul knew of who could explain what Max was thinking and give advice on the best way to approach him.

Rahul had to go to Johnny's Cafe to use the telephone and when she picked up, Shirley sounded surprised to hear from him.

"Is something the matter?"

"Not exactly." Rahul leaned his head on the side of the phone booth and breathed deeply. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, but that's not why you called, is it?"

"No," Rahul said reluctantly.

"Tell me."

"Do you know what Max has been doing?"

"Getting by in his usual way," Shirley said, and Rahul surmised that she knew more of what that meant than she had ever told him.

"That never worried you?"

"Max does what needs to be done, Why bring this up now?"

"I don't approve of the way he's acting," Rahul said.

"You aren't a policeman, or his father, why do you care?" Shirley asked.

"How far would he go to get what he wants?"

"Rahul," Shirley said sharply. "What's wrong?"

"Where did Max get all those scars?"

"Scars?"

"Yes, on his back."

The line buzzed with static for a couple seconds, and then Shirley burst out in a rush. "I'll tell Uncle Shetty to look after the restaurant and I'll be on a bus tonight." She hung up before Rahul could get another word out, and he went back to his mother's house to wait for her arrival.

Rahul was sitting on the roof when Shirley got to Goa. She tilted her head back and waved once at him and then accepted the tika from her mother in law and followed her into the house.

Not a stupid man, Rahul knew that the two women would be busy catching up and kept out of the way.

Some time later, Shirley came to an upstairs window and stepped onto the rooftop. She stepped confidently on the loose shingles and made her way to Rahul's side and settled down next to him.

"Hi," she said, pushing her pallu higher on her shoulder and shaded her eyes from the sun.

They moved closer, and Rahul gave her a kiss and then put an arm around her shoulders. He didn't want to be the one to open the conversation for several reasons, and waited for her to speak.

"Maahat says that you've been having a lot of trouble," Shirley said.

"She's let me know as much," Rahul said.

"Is it because of Max?"

"Sort of."

"What's happening that you don't like?" Shirley asked.

"He's running the only Goan gang in Vasco," Rahul said.

Shirley nodded. "Yes."

Rahul shook his head. "Why does everyone else think this is a good thing?"

"Who else would do it?"

"Why does there have to be a gang at all?" Rahul asked.

"There's going to be one no matter what. Max is somebody that people know, and he cares about what happens to the town." Shirley frowned. "Maahat told me that there have been outsiders trying to sell drugs in Vasco."

"What?"

Shirley nodded. "The only thing is, there's already a gang here, and the Eagles have never let anybody else into their territory without a fight."

"The Eagles have been fighting with these other gangs?" Rahul asked.

"Definitely," Shirley said.

The very idea of violence was abhorrent to Rahul, and gang fights weren't pleasant, at least not from what little he had seen, and he could imagine more of what the Eagles had been coping with.

"Has Max told you all this?" Rahul asked.

Shirley looked a little concerned, but only nodded. "He mentioned there have been a few brawls."

"Haven't the police caught anyone yet?"

"Do they ever?" Shirley asked. "Max knows better than to be so clumsy, he's careful not to let the Inspector get any proof. Besides, the police aren't really trustworthy anymore either."

That, Rahul knew, police corruption was rampant, and both he and Shirley had heard stories and read about incidents in the paper. Only rarely were the officers charged for their own crimes, and in a smaller town like Vasco, that had to be a greater issue than in even Bombay.

Still, things had seemed different here. "I thought that Inspector Kumar was a good man."

"He was good at catching the Eagles," Shirley said, and Rahul caught an unfriendly note in her voice. "Max, Michael, and Jojo were his favorites to pull in for anything that went wrong in Vasco."

"Were they to blame?"

"Sometimes, but even if he couldn't prove it, Inspector Kumar liked to arrest whoever he could find."

"How did they get out of jail?" Rahul asked.

"If they ran fast enough, he couldn't catch them, and they knew when to lay low, but Father Jacob helped when he could."

"He's fond of the Eagles, and mostly, you and Max," Rahul said. "At least, that's what it seemed like to me."

Shirley played with the hem of her sari. "Yeah, he's been kind to us."

Rahul laughed. "He almost warned me off confronting Max, but he did it very nicely."

"He can be pretty intimidating when he wants to be, Father Jacob is the only person that Inspector Kumar couldn't scare."

"It sounds like he protected you," Rahul said and could picture the scene, the Eagles in trouble, the Inspector wanting to haul them in, and Father Jacob stepping between the policeman and the boys.

"As much as he was able." Shirley looked away. "When Max was arrested for your brother's murder, even Father Jacob couldn't do much." She took Rahul's hand and squeezed it.

"Was it bad? Him being in jail?"

Shirley wouldn't answer, and as Rahul was going to keep questioning her, they heard someone shouting on the street below.

"Rahul, are you you home?"

Shirley and Max came to their feet and looked over the edge of the roof. Michael was standing on the street and waving his arms. He saw Shirley and looked startled, but then motioned for them to come down.

"Michael," Shirley said, smile disappearing as she took in his panicked state. "What happened?"

"That Russian haram zaada," Michael said, and raked his fingers through his hair, something smearing across his forehead.

"What Russian?" Shirley asked.

"Is that blood?" Rahul asked, and Shirley hopped off the roof and heedless of her sari and dress, scrambled down to the ground.

"Are you all right?" Rahul asked, as he followed his wife, but Shirley interrupted as she grabbed Michael by the shoulder.

"How bad is it?" Shirley asked.

Michael's knuckles were bloody and the skin torn, and Rahul stared at them, remembering the ways his brother had hurt his hands like that.

Shirley had also noticed the blood. "Where's Max?"

"We got him back to the house," Michael said.

"Have you sent for the doctor?" Shirley asked, already striding off in the direction of her old house, Michael and Rahul running to keep up with her.

"Jojo went to find him, but he's gone back to his village," Michael said. "Kuttey."

"He didn't do it on purpose," Rahul said, and got a snarl from Michael. "Sorry, I know, it doesn't help Max."

Shirley was in a dead run by the time they passed through the gate that used to separate Eagle and Bichhu territory, and she tore past Jojo and Chottu on her way into the house. They stared after her, and then moved back as Michael and Rahul followed on her heels. They came to a stop in the living room where they found Max lying on the couch, Shirley kneeling beside him, her hands moving over him, examining his injuries with a light touch.

"Why isn't he in the bedroom?" Shirley asked. "He would be more comfortable there."

"It was your room, Shirley," Jojo said, and glanced to Michael when Shirley turned to stare at him. "He doesn't let anyone even go in, and said that everything has to stay the way you left it."

"Idiot," Shirley said and lifted Max's shirt where the blood was the darkest. She grimaced and said again, "Moron. Michael, get me the first aid box, and boil some water."

Michael nodded and hurried to do as she asked.

"What can I do?" Rahul asked.

"Find something I can use for bandages," Shirley said.

"There are old sheets in the cupboard," Jojo said. Shirley nodded. "That should work."

Rahul followed Chottu and they grabbed several threadbare sheets and a pair of scissors from the kitchen and began cutting strips out of them. Each piece went into the pot of water being heated, and Rahul left Chottu to watch it, as Michael was fidgeting and obviously wanted to check on Max again.

"Is he awake?" Michael asked.

"No, how long has he been unconscious?" Shirley asked.

"Not long, maybe a half hour."

Shirley nodded. "It's just shock, and anyway, it's better that he can't tell us what we should do, he'd be trying to laugh it off."

"Yeah," Michael said.

The first aid box was open on the floor when Chottu brought the water out, and Shirley dropped the tweezers into the pot and returned to digging through the kit.

"Was anyone else badly hurt?"

"Madan is in the hospital. Peter went with him, but we couldn't risk Max staying there."

"No, you did the right thing," Shirley said.

"What if he needs surgery?" Rahul asked.

"He doesn't," Shirley said and proved at the wound with the tweezers. "Max needs me."

Rahul watched as more blood welled up and Shirley wiped it away and continued working.

"Don't worry, Rahul, I've done this before."

As he watched her tend to her brother, Rahul agreed that this had the sense of routine. Even though they were upset, the Eagles went along with Shirley's orders unquestioningly. She had been accepted as one of them, and hadn't forgotten how to handle them or their ways.

Knowing that he wasn't an expert or even slightly familiar with what to do, Rahul sat out of the way, ready to help, but not interfering. As a pile of bloody rags piled up, Shirley moved on to stitching Max's wounds closed.

One of Max's arms twitched, and Rahul saw his eyelids twitch. "Shirley, I think he's waking up."

"Come here, Michael, I need you to hold him down, Rahul, you too."

Michael rested his hands on Max's shoulders and met Shirley's eyes, but Rahul stood uncertainly a foot or so away.

"Rahul, I might need you to help keep him still, okay?"

"Yes," Rahul said, and came closer, still feeling like he was an intruder.

Shirley returned to her task, and as she did, Max's eyes opened, and he gasped, head jerking as he tried to get away from what was hurting him.

"Salaa," Max said, and Shirley leaned close and spoke clearly.

"Max, you've been hurt, I need to finish stitching you up, so you have to stay still, understand?"

"Shirley?" Max's voice was confused and he pushed weakly at Michael's hold on him.

"Yeah, it's me." Shirley rested a hand on Max's cheek to get his attention. "We can catch up later, for now, can you hang on for a couple minutes?"

Smiling painfully, Max reached out to touch Shirley on the nose. "No problem." He lay back, and Shirley glanced at Michael.

"You ready?"

Michael nodded at her and then at Rahul, who came up next to him, and Shirley smiled.

"What do you need from me?" Rahul asked.

"Hang on," Shirley said to Max, and one of his hands spasmed as his sister began moving her needle again, and Rahul put one of his hands out, not knowing what else to do. To his shock, Max grabbed hold, and as the pain got worse, his grip tightened, although he didn't turn toward Rahul, their fingers intertwined, and neither of them let go.

"All done," Shirley said at last, and sat back, mopping her forehead, and dropping the tweezers back into the pot of water and pressing gently at the bandage on Max's stomach and then got to her feet, moving stiffly and clearly exhausted.

Max had passed out, and it was only when Rahul saw that he wouldn't disturb him that he disentangled their fingers. He followed Shirley into the bathroom and stood by as she washed her hands.

"Will he really be fine?"

Shirley nodded wearily. "Uh huh."

"You know that because you've done this a couple times," Rahul said.

"More than that." Shirley undid her sari, folded it carefully and laid it on the edge of the sink. She ignored Rahul's wide eyes, and bent her head under the faucet, wrapping her hair in a towel as she straightened up.

"Is this how he got hurt when you were living here? Fighting with the Bichhus?"

"With them, other gangs that tried to grab a piece of the action, and the Inspector too."

Rahul shook his head. "When?"

"I told you, he went after Max and the Eagles if so much as a vegetable cart was knocked off. And how do you think he asked them questions? With a smile?"

"Couldn't you get him to stop?" Rahul asked.

"Who would make him? Father Jacob did what he could, but the Inspector was one of the only honest policeman, and that didn't make him popular so he got dumped in Vasco."

"I see." That would anger anyone, and Rahul hadn't been thrilled when his mother insisted he come home after finishing his culinary training. He had been lucky and found love in Vasco, the Inspector appeared to only be able to focus on the negative parts of the town. "But Max is safe now, isn't he?"

"If he doesn't get caught," Shirley said and walked out of the bathroom, wrapping her sari back around her waist. "Is there any food?" she asked Michael, and he shrugged.

Shirley went through the refrigerator, stacking food on the counter and standing back with an unhappy sound. "What is he eating these days?"

"He cooks," Chottu said. "When he has time."

"And when he doesn't?" Rahul asked, surveying the assortment of food.

"He manages, we all do," Michael said defensively.

"I never said otherwise," Rahul said to forestall angry words. "Would anyone mind if I made dinner?"

"Good idea, I'm starving," Shirley said and kissed Rahul on the cheek. She looked from him to the boys in warning and then headed back to the living room and Max.

Chottu stayed to watch Rahul bang around the kitchen as he searched for pans and utensils, but Michael only stayed for a moment, and then he went to sit with Max as well. As the food cooked, Rahul went through the cupboard and, not finding any pain pills, poured a glass of brandy and brought it out to Max.

"The meal is almost ready, but I thought he might need something for the pain." He offered the glass. "I couldn't find anything else," he said to Michael in apology and when Michael reached out to tap Max's shoulder, he got a groan in response.

"Hey, Maxi, you up to a drink?"

"Always," Max said, and grinned at Michael.

"Come up, sit up a bit." Michael cupped Max's head and put the glass to his mouth and helped him take small sips until every drop was gone. "Better?"

"Yeah," Max said and closed his eyes again. "Is there food?"

"Almost," Rahul said.

Shirley smiled, her eyes looking a little wet.

Rahul leaned in to whisper in Shirley's ear. "That's good?"

"Very," Shirley said, and hopped up. "I'll get plates."

Michael didn't stir, and as Rahul peeked at them again, he saw Michael bend down and whisper to Max, who answered softly, and Michael laughed and then kissed Max on the forehead. Rahul gaped, but stepped back so he wasn't seen, and found Shirley watching him. "Have they been like that long?"

"Like what?" Shirley asked.

Unable to think of a word that wasn't crude, Rahul settled for a diplomatic one. "Close."

"They're best friends," Shirley said.

"I've had friends, never ones that did that," Rahul said, feeling off balance.

"Well, then you were missing out," Shirley said and sniffed the air. "Is something burning?"

"No," Rahul said, but turned down the oven all the same. "Is that all they are?"

"Michael is seeing a girl," Shirley said. As she rummaged in a drawer, she muttered to herself, and the subject was closed.

That didn't tell Rahul what he wanted to know, but it seemed to be another one of those things that didn't translate from Bombay to Vasco. "Okay. This pan is hot, we need a towel to put this on."

"Got it," Chottu said from behind Rahul, startling him.

"Great, you take the forks, let's serve this before we have a revolt."

Even though he was in pain, when his plate was set in front of him, Max rolled onto his side and ate, refusing all help. "My hands aren't broken, you know."

"Just your brain," Shirley said and smiled when Max sent a dark look her way. "Don't wreck any of my stitching."

"Is that what you call this? I thought you mistook me for a quilt," Max said.

"That at least would stay where I put it," Shirley said and shoved Max's legs back on the couch. "Eat your dinner and stop being silly."

Sure that Max would raise further objections, Rahul tensed, but Max only rolled his eyes and went on eating. He, Michael and Chottu ignored the forks offered them and ate with varying degrees of neatness. It was a bit like dining with a pack of wild dogs, but Rahul was discovering that if he paid attention, he could avoid getting bitten.

"This is good," Michael said and Chottu agreed, his mouth full.

Max didn't speak up, but he set his empty plate on the floor and stared at everyone from under heavy lids. When he'd fallen asleep, Rahul and Shirley cleared away the dishes and Chottu went home, promising to tell the rest of the Eagles that Max was going to recover. Michael sat with his back against the front of the couch, putting himself between Max and any threat, and Rahul surmised he wouldn't move until morning.

The dishes were put away and the house quiet when Shirley turned into Rahul's arms. They embraced tightly and breathed in unison, releasing the stresses of the day.

"Rahul, I'm going to stay here for a while."

"I know," Rahul said. "Do you want me to go and get your bags?"

"I love you," Shirley said and kissed him. "You're a good man."

"I try," Rahul said and liked to think that he was learning. "Would it be okay if I stayed too?"

"No, it would be wonderful," Shirley said and hugged him again.

"I'll just run and get a few things."

His mother was sitting up waiting for news when Rahul knocked and he assured her that everything would be well.

"Shirley and I are going to spend a couple days at Max's."

"Oh?"

"He had a run in with someone." Rahul touched his mother on the arm to calm her. "He's going to be okay, but he will need help, and I swear, there was almost nothing to eat in that house."

Covering her mouth, eyes crinkling in amusement, his mother nodded.

"What?" Rahul asked.

"Nothing, son, it's nice that Max won't be on his own."

Not understanding what she was saying, but smart enough to know that she heard more than what he was telling her, Rahul accepted a tin of chips and headed back to Max's house.

The first couple days after they moved in, Rahul sat back and kept out of the way. He took care of the cooking and let Shirley and Michael tend to Max. Understandably, after what had happened between them, Max, and consequently Michael were on guard whenever Rahul was in the same room with them, but as Rahul demonstrated he wasn't trying to take over, just help out, the mood lightened. By the end of the week, Max was moving gingerly by on his own, and Michael had taken to going home every night.

"Is that a good sign?" Rahul asked Shirley. She stroked his arm and then leaned sideways to look at something behind Rahul. He turned and saw Max limping into the kitchen.

"Didn't I tell you to rest?" Shirley asked.

Max waved off Shirley's nagging. "I was bored."

"If you tear your stitches, you'll have lots of excitement," Rahul said and Max bared his teeth at him.

"Who asked you?"

"Hey, be nice, Maxi, he's making dinner."

"That's all he does." Max lifted the lid of the pan. "What is it?"

"Chicken, garlic, onions and pepper," Rahul said. He waited to see if Max was tempted and then offered tentatively, "Unless you want something different?"

"No, this will do." Max eased himself onto a stool and put his elbows on the counter.

It was odd for Max to be in the kitchen while Rahul was cooking, and even though he was used to having lots of people around him at the restaurant, he found himself working very self consciously under Max's gaze. He glanced at Shirley, but she didn't offer more help than an encouraging smile.

"Here, tell me if this needs pepper," Rahul said and held a spoonful of food out to Max.

Max took a bite and chewed it slowly.

"It should be spicy," Rahul said.

"Add more, then," Max said.

Rahul seasoned the meat more heavily, stirred it and gave Max the first helping. The three of them ate the meal together as usual, but instead of putting the pan into the sink right away, he set it in front of Max. He had noticed the way that both the twins cleaned their plates, and while Shirley wasn't in the habit quite so much these days, Max still treated every meal like he wasn't positive there would be another to follow.

"Thanks, Rahul, that was great," Shirley said, and carefully didn't comment on what he had done. She waited for Max to finish scraping the pan clean and when he pushed it away, she picked it up and dropped in the sink to soak. After that, she left the room, leaving Rahul with Max and no idea of what he wanted to say.

"Are you feeling better?" Rahul asked.

"Yeah." Max toyed with the frayed hem of his shirt without raising his head. "When are you two going back home?"

"To Bombay?" Rahul asked.

"Yeah. Who's taking care of your business while you're in Vasco?"

"Uncle Shetty, one of my professors. He offered to sponsor me after I graduated."

Max nodded. "That's nice of him."

"We don't need to hurry back, not when you need us." Rahul hurried to backtrack. "I mean, if you do need us."

"I don't mind you being here," Max said.

Relieved, Rahul went to washing dishes just to have something to do with his hands. "You said you were bored, what do you usually do around here?" Rahul didn't get a reply. "Other than get shot."

Still nothing from Max.

Rahul kept his eyes on what he was doing. "This is a nice house. Is this the Eagles' headquarters?"

Max's mouth twitched upwards as Rahul babbled and his face reddened. At last he stood back from the sink and dried his hands off studiously. "You could tell me that I sound like an idiot."

"I was waiting for you to run out of air."

Rahul grimaced, feeling like a fool. "Great."

Max smirked. "Don't try so hard."

"I want to," Rahul said. "I didn't when I was courting Shirley."

"No, because you weren't after me too," Max said.

"Maybe I should have been."

Max tilted his head to one side. "You have a thing for hoodlums?"

"Not until I came to Vasco. Then I married one," Rahul said.

"Shirley's not a hoodlum."

"Don't tell her," Rahul said. "She's proud of being an Eagle, and if I so much as suggest that she could have chosen another life, she makes me regret it."

Max didn't say Rahul deserved whatever he got, and Rahul didn't think the nearly invisible smile was entirely at his expense. They lingered in the kitchen, Rahul keeping an eye on the way Max shifted gingerly and when he moved toward the couch, Rahul stayed close but didn't offer to help outright.

"Doesn't the couch hurt your back?"

"I'm used to it."

"There is a bedroom," Rahul said.

"That's where you and Shirley are sleeping," Max said.

"Right now I'm talking to you," Rahul said and smiled at Max. "Let me at least tell your sister that I haven't kept you from resting all day and night."

Max thought it over and sighed. "You're going to keep bothering me?"

"Over this?" Rahul nodded. "You bet."

"Fine," Max said.

Rahul followed him into the room that had belonged to Shirley back when she lived in this house and once again took in how precisely it had been preserved, as if Shirley were going to return at any moment and resume her life in Vasco. Sitting down in front of the dresser, still with bottles of nail polish arranged according to some indecipherable feminine system, Rahul waited as Max levered himself onto the bed.

"Do you need anything?"

"You to stop talking," Max said, and then when Rahul was silent, Max let out an annoyed noise. "Shirley used to be the one who bugged me about these things. Is this what marriage does to you?"

"My mother tells me that I've always been like this," Rahul said apologetically. "It used to drive her nuts, I had all these plans for what we should do, and all my ideas weren't what she wanted. I didn't stop to listen often enough." He played with one of the small bottles, rolling it back and forth in his hands and grinned. "Shirley makes me stop so I hear her, or she shouts louder."

Max curled up on the bed and jammed a pillow under his head, eyes on the ceiling. He didn't seem to care that Rahul was hanging around, or if he did, he was being unusually restrained.

Rahul kept talking, convinced that when he said too much, Max would tell him."She's running the restaurant. I mean, I'm the chef and everything, but Shirley is the one that handles every crisis and I wouldn't even know there had been a hiccup if she didn't mention it to me when I was dicing vegetables."

"That's what we used to do," Max said, voice softer than Rahul had ever heard it. "When we were making dinner together she'd tell me about her day. That's how I found out some salaa was flirting with my sister in church."

Rahul blushed. "I didn't think it was a big deal, I just had to talk to her, let this beautiful girl know I was alive. She must have thought I was a moron."

Max chuckled. "Yeah, she did."

"She never told me that."

"At first, she figured you were like all the others. But you were the first," Max said. "The first boy she liked enough to keep secret. She'd never lied to me, not once, before you came to Vasco."

"When she told me you found out about us, she wanted us to stay apart," Rahul said. "Did you know?" He had read about twins and the connections they were rumored to have, and had asked Shirley some questions, but she got fed up when his curiosity ran rampant, and he wanted to hear what it was like from the other side.

"Know what?" Max asked.

"That she was seeing me?"

Max rolled his head in Rahul's direction. "I know my sister, and I'd seen you around."

"I was kind of hard to miss," Rahul said. "I wanted to get your attention."

"You did."

Rahul had all but ordered Shirley to let him in the house, despite the prospect of being revealed as Shirley's boyfriend when he'd found out about Max and Shirley's parents. His intentions were good, and it might have been on account of him not being from Vasco, and that he wasn't exactly in tune with how they did things, but he'd scared Max in a way he couldn't ignore.

Rahul sat forward. "I'm sorry that you had to find out like that. I was planning on doing it differently."

"How?" Max sounded skeptical.

"I was over at the house once, after you got your bike painted," Rahul said.

"You made the fruit salad."

"It was for you," Rahul said. "I mean, I made it for you."

Max's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Me?"

"I was trying to win you over."

Max frowned. "Is that what you're doing now?"

Not sure what the right answer was, Rahul hoped honesty would work. "No, I just want to be around if you need me."

"Like now?" Max asked.

"Yes."

"From over there?"

"Did you want me to leave?" Rahul asked.

Max didn't give any indication either way. "You're going to be sorry you slept in that chair."

Rahul had been sliding down in his seat and he put his back straight against the back, feet braced on the edge of the bed. "I'll get up before I fall asleep."

"You won't." Max lowered his eyes. "Come on."

"Pardon?"

"There's plenty of room," Max said and gestured at the bed.

It was an offer Rahul couldn't misinterpret and that he hadn't anticipated. It also brought him closer he had thought he would get when Max was awake. If he tried to make Max explain himself, Rahul guessed that the invitation would dry up, and that was the last thing Rahul wanted. He got up slowly and climbed on the bed, keeping inches between them, and barely breathing.

"Relax," Max said, and when Rahul dared a sideways look, Max's eyes were closed, and Rahul followed suit, the day catching all at once, and sleep descending fast.

"Of all the things I've seen-" Shirley said, and Rahul came awake to see his wife standing at the foot of the bed, grinning. Beside Rahul, Max was still breathing evenly, deeply asleep, and Rahul put a hand out, keeping his voice low.

"He told me I would hurt my back if I didn't use the bed."

"That's what it's for," Shirley said and came up next to her brother, clambering up and freezing when he twitched.

"What are you doing?" Rahul asked.

"Joining in."

"We're just sleeping, Shirley."

"I know, and that's why it means more." Shirley slid behind Max's head and when he stirred, ran a hand down his arm. "Hey, Maxi, it's me."

"Something wrong?" Max asked drowsily.

"No, I'm just tired."

Without opening his eyes, Max made more room for Shirley on the bed and she grinned as she moved into range of the other pillow and grabbed it. Somehow, it suddenly seemed a lot warmer in the room, and Rahul felt severely out of place. He wracked his brain for a way to dispel the pressure.

"Are you hungry?" Rahul asked. "I think there's some food left over from lunch."

Shirley and Max were quiet but looked amused as Rahul jumped up and hurried out of the room. He returned with enough for all of them.

Shirley had scooted behind Max and was picking at his vest, widening a tear and ignoring Max's faint protests.

"Shirley, stop it. I thought you were tired."

"I'm hungry too, and this thing is old, Maxi, you can get a new vest, you can afford it."

"I like this one." Max's eyes rested on Rahul. "Is that for us?"

Rahul nodded and brought it over, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting the plate within everyone's reach, and did his best to ignore Shirley's knowing smile.

"Remember when you were trying to woo me?" Shirley asked.

"Vaguely." Rahul said, and got a glare from Shirley.

"Well, you had one thing going for you that all the other boys hadn't tried."

"What's that?" Rahul asked, and saw Max looking more awake for the answer.

"Your cooking," Shirley said.

"I do know my way around the kitchen. Why do you bring it up?" He knew that he was more educated than a lot of the boys in Vasco, but hadn't counted on that to get Shirley's attention. Skill was just as important as attitude, and as Max had pointed out earlier, Rahul had been the one lucky enough to be noticed for both.

"Does this seem familiar?" Shirley asked, and Rahul absorbed the scene, the three of them eating a meal together, Max settled, Shirley stealthily taking more space on the bed, and pushing her brother closer to Rahul, and him repositioning nervously every couple of seconds.

"No," Rahul said.

"I was just checking," Shirley said.

For the first time Rahul and Max shared a moment of commiseration over the strange ways of women. No words were needed, and they set themselves to eating. Rahul tore the last piece of naan into pieces and gave one to Shirley and then another to Max.

It turned into a part of their day, Rahul cooking with one of the twins around, and he found that Max wasn't opposed to offering opinions on new recipes as long as Rahul kept from laughing at the faces that Max made. The Eagles brought news and delivered the more sensitive tidbits behind closed doors, and when they came in, very pleased with themselves, the trouble with the Russians had clearly been resolved. Where he used to be offended about such things, Rahul found he didn't care anymore whether Max was discussing past or future crimes and didn't bring it up when Max returned to the kitchen and just handed him a spoon and asked him to taste whatever he was cooking.

When Inspector Kumar knocked loudly late one afternoon, Rahul was the one to let him in. He caught the shock on the man's face but didn't comment. Leaning around the doorway, Rahul called into the living room. "Max, there's someone here to see you."

Max ambled in and returned the bland smile that the Inspector was giving him.

"I heard you were hurt," Kumar said.

"Not badly," Max said and Rahul didn't contradict him. He was chopping melon as if it took every bit of concentration, and whether or not he was prying by staying in the room, he didn't care. He wasn't willing to leave Max alone with someone that he had a bad history with, and that Rahul frankly, didn't trust not to do what he could to make life difficult for Max. If he needed any help, Rahul wanted Max to know he had it.

"Do you want to file a report?"

"Over what? I'm fine."

"And nobody saw a thing," Kumar said, as if he had heard it all many times in the past.

Max was unconcerned. "It was dark and it happened too fast."

"You don't want to tell me anything else?"

"No," Max said shortly.

"I expect that will be the end of it," Kumar said. "No one better come to me later or show up dead."

"That's not the way we handle things in Vasco," Max said, and the strain of dealing with Kumar showed in his posture.

Just as Rahul stepped in to end the conversation, there was a loud noise and a yelp from somewhere in the house and Shirley hurried downstairs. She was holding a faucet handle and looked sheepish. "Oh, hello, Inspector."

"What happened?" Rahul asked.

"I was filling the tub, and the knob came off in my hand." She smiled. "Now the water won't stop."

Max nodded to Kumar and dashed upstairs, Shirley behind him. Rahul was left with Kumar and projected all the polite impatience at the man he knew how as the sounds from above grew more frantic.

Kumar caught on and grimaced. "Sorry to intrude."

Rahul made the right protests as he saw Kumar to the door and then headed upstairs to see if he could help.

Shirley had exaggerated how badly she'd broken the faucet, but it still took over an hour to clean up the water.

"I had to get rid of Kumar," Shirley said much later, and Max tossed a wet towel at her head.

"Good job."

"Stop it, Maxi," Shirley said and hurled the towel back, missing Max, who ducked, and hitting Rahul squarely in the face. He toppled over and lifted the towel to find Max and Shirley staring down at him in concern.

"You shouldn't have hit him," Max said.

Shirley punched him in the arm. "Well, if you hadn't gotten out of the way, I wouldn't have missed."

As one, they turned back to Rahul.

"Are you all right?" Shirley asked.

Rahul squinted.

"Maxi, ask him if he's okay."

"You just did."

Shirley used several phrases to describe her brother and men in general that made Rahul's ears burn and Max clucked his tongue at her.

"Did you teach her those words?"

Mouth hanging open, Rahul heaved himself up to swat at Max. He didn't connect, Max bounced out of range and laughed.

"Me? I barely understand what you Eagles are saying half the time, and that wasn't my wife talking."

"So sweet," Shirley said and dropped the towel on Rahul's head again.

"I'll explain it to you," Max said and helped Rahul to his feet.

Rahul put one hand on Max's side. "You didn't pull anything loose, did you?"

Max snorted. "I can pick you off the floor, no problem." He smirked.

Rahul realized he wasn't offended and grinned, leaving his hand just above Max's hip, and left his hand there as he slipped his arm through Shirley's. He didn't shift either hand until he needed both to prepare dinner. He glanced up, and it wasn't to confirm they were still there, but to be sure they were within reach.

Shirley caught him checking, and reached around to grab a piece of fruit off the cutting board, right out from under Rahul's fingers, and he kissed her for that. When he wasn't looking, Max did the same thing from the other side, and Rahul stood flat footed while Max grinned and deliberately chewed his prize with enjoyment, and then Rahul put aside his fears and boldly leaned in and kissed Max on the cheek.

Laughing, Shirley let Rahul push her away from the food, and Max, who was rubbing the back of his neck and smiling just a bit was too stunned to object when Rahul steered him over to where his sister was standing.

Rahul waved a spoon at them and tried his best to look imposing. "Now, if you two will let me work, I may be able to get this going before it's time to eat."

He turned away, and pretended he couldn't hear the whispering behind him. He didn't think he would actually get the chance to finish preparing lunch, but he was beginning to know when to issue a challenge, and was looking forward to this one being accepted.


End file.
